Steel tube useful in pole, pylon, or tower, filled at least partially with cementitious material, and comprising plural sections bolted to one another at end flanges

ABSTRACT

In a steel tube filled at least partially with a cementitious material, which is pumped into the steel tube and which is allowed to cure, and comprising plural sections, which have end flanges and which are bolted together at the flanges, the flanges contacted by the cementitious material have gaskets to prevent the cementitious material from being extruded between the flanges contacted by the cementitious material before the cementitious material has cured. The flanges having the gaskets are external flanges. The tube sections meeting at the flanges having the gaskets have notches, within which the gaskets are seated, so as to allow the flanges to have flange-to-flange contact, except where the gaskets are seated in the notches.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention pertains to an improvement in a steel tube, which is useful in a pole, pylon, or tower and which comprises plural sections having end flanges and being bolted together at the flanges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Heretofore, it has been known for a pole, pylon, or tower, which is useful to support antennas or to perform other similar or dissimilar functions, to comprise a steel tube or steel tubes and for each tube to comprise plural sections having end flanges and being bolted together at the flanges. This invention provides an improvement, which is useful when it is desired for a steel tube to be so used to be at least partially filled with a cementitious material, such as grout, which is pumped into the steel tube and which is allowed to cure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention provides an improvement in a steel tube, as described above, wherein the flanges contacted by the cementitious material being pumped have means, which may comprise gaskets, to prevent the cementitious material from being extruded between the flanges contacted by the cementitious material before the cementitious material has cured.

[0004] In a preferred embodiment, in which the flanges are external flanges and in which said means comprise internal gaskets, the tube sections meeting at the flanges having the gaskets have notches, within which the gaskets are seated, so as to allow the flanges having the gaskets to have flange-to-flange contact, except where the gaskets are seated in the notches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of a tower comprising steel tubes, which are filled at least partially with a cementitious material, as contemplated by this invention. FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary detail illustrating two tube sections, which are bolted to one another at end flanges and which have a gasket between the flanges, as contemplated by this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

[0006] As illustrated, a tower 10, which is useful to support antennas or to perform other similar or dissimilar functions, comprises upright steel tubes 20, which are made in plural sections 22 having external end flanges 24, which are bolted to one another by nuts 26 and bolts 28, in a manner conventional in tower construction.

[0007] Each steel tube 20 is filled at least partially with a cementitious material C, such as grout, which is pumped into the steel tube 20 and which is allowed to cure. The flanges 24 contacted by the cementitious material C have gaskets 30 to prevent the cementitious material C from being extruded between the flanges 24 contacted by the cementitious material C before the cementitious material C has cured.

[0008] Moreover, the tube sections 22 meeting at the flanges 24 having the gaskets 30 have notches 32, within which the gaskets 30 are seated, so as to allow the flanges 24 having the gaskets 30 to have flange-to-flange contact, as illustrated in FIG. 2, except where the gaskets 30 are seated in the notches 32. 

1. In a steel tube filled at least partially with a cementitious material, which is pumped into the steel tube and which is allowed to cure, and comprising plural sections, which have end flanges and which are bolted together at the flanges, an improvement wherein the flanges contacted by the cementitious material have means to prevent the cementitious material from being extruded between the flanges contacted by the cementitious material before the cementitious material has cured.
 2. In a steel tube filled at least partially with a cementitious material, which is pumped into the steel tube and which is allowed to cure, and comprising plural sections, which have end flanges and which are bolted together at the flanges, an improvement wherein the flanges contacted by the cementitious material have gaskets to prevent the cementitious material from being extruded between the flanges contacted by the cementitious material before the cementitious material has cured.
 3. In a steel tube filled at least partially with a cementitious material, which is pumped into the steel tube and which is allowed to cure, and comprising plural sections, which have end flanges and which are bolted together at the flanges, an improvement wherein the flanges contacted by the cementitious material are external flanges, which have gaskets to prevent the cementitious material from being extruded between the flanges contacted by the cementitious material before the cementitious material has cured.
 4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein the tube sections meeting at the flanges having the gaskets have notches, within which the gaskets are seated, so as to allow the flanges to have flange-to-flange contact, except where the gaskets are seated in the notches.
 5. The improvement of claim 3 wherein the tube sections meeting at the flanges having the gaskets have notches, within which the gaskets are seated, so as to allow the flanges having the gaskets to have flange-to-flange contact, except where the gaskets are seated in the notches. 